Three Key Oil Shipping Routes Blocked at Once

Three major oil shipping lanes — Bab al-Mandeb, Hormuz, and the Black Sea — face war threats at once, per WSJ (July 21, 2026). Hormuz traffic has been near-dead since April. Saudi Arabia rerouted 3 million barrels/day through the Red Sea, flagged Medium-risk July 22. Shipping insurance premiums are surging, per Lloyd's List. No safe alternate route remains, which could push up fuel prices.